XBox Solution

One of my favorite original Xbox games was Mercenaries. The game has plenty of action and tons of stuff to blow up. It also had a great side angle. You had to keep all three factions happy or at least stay on their good side to a point. If not and you ticked off everyone, you either had to bribe someone or be out of luck. While the game mirrored current events, back then it was the action and story that drew me in. Of course being able to call in an air strike or stealing weapons for me to keep was another high point in the game. Because there was so much to do in the game, it was at the time the best sandbox game out there. It’s been several years since the release of the first game and fans have been waiting eagerly to play the sequel. Now that it’s out how does Mercenaries 2: World in Flames stack up when compared to the original? Read the full review and find out why it was a nice visit but not quite the same.

Gameplay

Whenever you take a sleeper hit and try and recreate the same magic, you run into issues. Time between games is the biggest issue. Die-hard fans already know the story. Younger gamers or those who never played the first one need something to hook them in. Co-Op is a big draw now and while this is helpful, the story really needed to be able to draw in the gamers quickly. Mercs 2 tries hard to make a quick impression and it’s not bad even though a bit cheesy. It hooks the returning characters back into the game and helps introduce the new ones. When the game starts, you pick to play as Mattias Nilsson, Jennifer Mui or Chris Jacobs. Each one has his/her strengths and, while the story adjusts to show whoever you pick in the key story, it just repeats with each character being in that role. They do have their own methods and weapons they like to use. Mattias is probably the most popular with his wild looks and smart wise cracks. Although he will get old fast as he repeats them a lot. He is the guy who will charge in and then fight. Jennifer is more of the thinking type and prefers to use her long range sniper rifle and not be seen. Then there is Chris who a mix of the other two and has more of a balance of skills.

The basic story is one of double crossing and honor or lack of among mercenaries. A deal or contract that went wrong makes the plot turn into a story of revenge and payback. After all, this is what Mercs do best. Unlike the first game, ammo and cash is rather easy to find after hiring the right crew members. You’ll need to start with one faction and do certain jobs for them to get the Intel needed to seek out your final revenge. The game still mirrors current events but plays it a little safer than the original game’s story line. The game is fun and the action is plenty but, it gets a bit old after awhile. Personally the fun factor of the last game was pushing each faction to the limits and then seeing how you can get around the trouble you were causing. Mercenaries 2 really tried to recreate the feel and action of the first game and at times pulls it off great. There are a few bugs in the game that makes it become a bit irritating. Once you take the game for what it is, the game is enjoyable.

You keep doing jobs and moving into the graces of each group but the truth is its more fun to run around blowing up stuff. Rules are simple in the game. While there is a real mission to accomplish, the freedom to explore and go anywhere and fight is the most appealing part of the game. I know a lot of gamers who complained about the fact that Pandemic took out the cheat codes. I didn’t miss them and didn’t think it took anything away from the game. It’s a sandbox game and meant to be played like one. Go anywhere and then return and start a mission, finish and then blow more stuff up plain and simple!

Control

The weapons and basic controls seemed perfect to me. If anything needed tweaked it was the driving controls since you spend a lot of time in vehicles. I understand why they went the route of the basic GTA style for the driving, but it would have added more to the game if it was changed a bit. Overall the controls are easy to learn and each weapon has a use and fits the Xbox 360 scheme rather well.

Xbox Live

Co-Op is fun but chances are you’re going to meet up with your twin Mattias since he’s very popular. Almost everyone I joined in with had picked him. I did like the fact they limited the distance you could be separated from your partner. If you play the Co-Op as a team, it is a blast. Some gamers just don’t like or know how to do this. I set my game settings to invite only to avoid people just jumping in. Connecting and playing with friends was not an issue and it works just fine. By working as a team, you can get a ton of money and destroy things faster. I had some great times in the Co-Op mode. It was definitely well thought out. If you play with someone a little crazy and not afraid to try some things, you can also do some really cool things as a team. Without the Co-Op mode I don’t think the game would have had enough to keep me interested.

Graphics

The game is not one that you’ll have people over to show off the power of the Xbox 360 but they work for this sort of game. The new effects that make it appear different times of the day are neat and the pirate area actually makes it look like night time.

There are some graphical glitches but nothing you have not already seen in any other game. Look hard enough and you can find something to complain about. Just enjoy the graphics like the gameplay and I found this works best.

Audio

The theme song in the TV ad still keeps playing in my head as does some of the one-liners from the game. They repeat them way too much and yes at times this is a big turn off. Then again like the graphics, if you sit back and enjoy it for what they have to offer, the voice talents do a good job. It’s not meant to be a compelling and deep story. Overall the weapons and bombs sound great and the other sound effects are good.

Replay Value

Mercenaries 2 is a hard game to judge the replay value for since it can be played in different ways. If you want to accomplish everything and beat the game then it’s loaded with replay value. If you enjoy playing Co-Op with a friend, the replay will be more than if you just play it alone. It’s a game that is meant to have fun while still having a mission to accomplish. If taken that way, it’s hard to say there is not enough replay value in the game.

Bottom Line

Overall Score: 8.2/10.0

Additional Comments

I will be the first to admit the game could have been better, but it was fun and has a lot of neat things thrown in. You need to not expect the same game play from the first game and even I had to stop thinking that way. Once you do this, the game is a fun and good title with some great missions. It’s best if you take the time to enjoy it and not expect something you’re not going to get. Pandemic put a lot of time into this game and it shows. My best advice is if you enjoyed the first game, pop this in, sit back and have fun. Then invite a friend to a Co-Op game and blow stuff up, try things that shouldn’t work and have fun. This is what the game is all about.

Links

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames Official Website

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